1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a golf training aid and, in particular, to a golf swing trainer. That is, the invention is an improved device worn by a player on the back side of his hand (including his index finger), wrist and lower forearm which aids in the proper placement of his hand and wrist for a proper golf swing. The improved device includes one or more removable spacer pads which allow the user to alter either or both the angle of the hand on which the device is worn or/and the range of motion during the swing, while maintaining continuous contact between the device and the hand, wrist and lower forearm when the user is not swinging the golf club (that is, when the user is addressing the golf ball).
2. Description of Related Art
Prior art golf swing trainers include the device which is illustrated in FIG. 1 of this application. The device of FIG. 1 includes a rigid or substantially rigid plastic brace which is molded so that a golfer's following hand (i.e., the right hand for a right handed golfer or the left for a left handed golfer) is in the angle which is created when the golf club is swung with the club head following the turning body. While making a golf stroke in this position, the driving power is applied in a straight line, in the direction of the desired line of flight. So-called "sliced strokes" and "short balls" are, thus, prevented to a substantial extent. It should be noted that it is common for a golfer to collapse his wrist in a backwards direction while swinging his golf club, which results in a line of driving power which is not straight. However, although the prior art device illustrated in FIG. 1 remedies this problem, when a golfer wears the device shown in FIG. 1, his index finger, hand, wrist and lower forearm are fixed in this position (by means of non-resilient or non-elastic straps 52 and 53 positioned as shown in FIG. 1).
Other golf training aids include those disclosed and claimed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 234,434 (Trevino), U.S. Design Pat. No. 266,345 (Bigham et al.), U.S. Design Pat. No. 329,678 (Mehrholz), U.S. Pat. No. 1,418,637 (Flood), U.S. Pat. No. 1,469,315 (Hansard), U.S. Pat. No. 3,408,077 (Norwood), U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,095 (Cox), U.S. Pat. No. 3,606,342 (Albertson, Jr.) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,922 (Elliott, Jr.). Other wrist support devices (for, for example, bowling or therapeutic purposes) include those disclosed and claimed in U.S. Design Pat. No. 274,386 (Tanaka), U.S. Pat. No. 2,794,638 (Risher et al.), U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,258 (Stroburg), U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,963 (Ford), U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,502 (Lee), U.S. Pat. No. 4,941,460 (Working), U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,187 (Fleenor et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,948 (Gray). See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,451,044 (Elliott), U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,430 (Goins) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,539 (Steffes).